The number of initial jobless claims in the U.S. unexpectedly decreased, and there are divergences in the Fed's decision on interest rate cuts in December.

On November 26, against the backdrop of ongoing uncertainty in the U.S. economy, the number of people filing for unemployment benefits for the first time unexpectedly dropped last week, reaching the lowest level since mid-April, while still remaining relatively low. In the week ending November 22, initial claims for unemployment benefits decreased by 6,000, falling to 216,000, which is lower than the median forecast of 225,000 from economists' surveys. Recent surveys show that Americans' concerns about the labor market are increasing. The consumer confidence index in November saw the largest decline in seven months, partly due to more pessimistic expectations about job searching. Fed officials have lowered the Intrerest Rate in the last two policy meetings, focusing on supporting the slowing labor market. However, policymakers have differing opinions on whether to support another drop in rates at the last meeting of the year in December, as they try to balance between a weak labor market and persistently high inflation. (Jin10)